Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to animal husbandry and more specifically to aquatic animal culturing. An aspect of the invention relates to crustacean culturing including the care and propagation of lobster, shrimp, or other aquatic arthropods that have a chitinous or calcareous exoskeleton. The invention may provide a habitat with recirculation and filter means. Another aspect of the invention relates to the care and propagation of fish. A further aspect of the invention relates to mollusk culturing, including the propagation and care of oyster, clam, or other aquatic animals with a soft, unsegmented body enclosed in a calcareous shell.
The invention also relates to culturing aquatic plants.
This invention is directed to the field of aquaculture for implementation of a different and unique system and method for treating aquatic species such as fish, crustaceans, mollusks, and aquatic plants. The system and method is known as a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS).
Description of Related Art
Aquaculture is the breeding, rearing, and harvesting of a captive aquatic species in various types of water environments. The captive aquatic species generates waste products that require removal during their growth process. Without removal, ammonia, bacteria, and solids quickly accumulate and overtake the system, significantly reducing survival of the aquatic species through harvest. The treatment method depends on the type of system deployed. Most aquaculture systems depend on an “open” flow method to remove the waste products by exchanging water between the aquaculture system and the surrounding environment. However, the “open” flow method can have a dramatically harmful effect on the local environment.
A small percentage of aquaculture systems utilize a “closed” flow method (also known as a recirculating aquaculture system or RAS) that recirculates the water within the system, thereby preventing contamination of the surrounding environment. However, this approach requires more sophisticated treatment methods.
The present invention employs an improved method for RAS treatment by combining several technologies to control the excessive accumulation of ammonia, bacteria, and solids within the system. The invention employs multiple control loops that can be functionally distinct. For example, it is desirable to employ an ammonia control loop, a bacteria control loop, a solids control loop, and a feeding control loop. In one or more of these loops, electrolytic treatment is adapted to achieve the function of the loop. A single electrolytic processor can be shared among loops to efficiently process various streams within the recirculating aquaculture system.
To achieve the foregoing and other objects and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the method and apparatus of this invention may comprise the following.